


this must be the place

by soulfriend



Category: X-Force (Comics), X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: M/M, Pining, Yearning, camp verde era, enough said
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-23
Updated: 2020-03-23
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:15:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23289880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soulfriend/pseuds/soulfriend
Summary: “Shhh,” Rictor hissed, putting a finger to ‘Star’s mouth. “It’s, like, two in the morning.” Evidently seeing ‘Star’s confused expression, he elaborated. “There’s-- I just want to show you something. Away from the others.” Rictor moved away from the bed, inviting Shatterstar to follow.
Relationships: Julio Richter/Shatterstar
Comments: 7
Kudos: 40





	this must be the place

**Author's Note:**

> local man trapped inside because of COVID-19, forced to actually write this fic instead of keeping it locked away in his mind indefinitely

“Shatterstar. Hey, ‘Star. Wake up.”

Shatterstar blinked his eyes open to Rictor standing over him. His brain jolted into awake mode. “What time is it? Do we have-”

“Shhh,” Rictor hissed, putting a finger to ‘Star’s mouth. “It’s, like, two in the morning.” Evidently seeing ‘Star’s confused expression, he elaborated. “There’s-- I just want to show you something. Away from the others.” Rictor moved away from the bed, inviting Shatterstar to follow.

Shatterstar felt a little smile cross his face; he liked when it was just him and Julio. The two of them had something that the others just didn’t quite fit into. “Grab a jacket, it gets cold outside at night.” Shatterstar obliged, hurrying after Ric into the desert night.

They didn’t feel the need to speak on their walk; they never did, when they were together. ‘Star, from the start, had never been one for small talk, and Rictor didn’t judge him for it. They fit together like this. Shatterstar did wonder where Ric was taking him, just a little, but he didn’t question it. He liked the feeling of putting his trust in something, someone. He was happy to go wherever Rictor took him.

Eventually, they reached a ridge, not too high up but elevated enough to overlook the expansive desert. Rictor stopped, Shatterstar halting with him. “Why did we stop?” Shatterstar murmured.

“This is what I wanted to show you,” Rictor replied.

“Oh,” Shatterstar said softly. There was some… feeling inside him, one he didn’t have words for. There wasn’t much to look at out here besides sand, brush, and the occasional cactus, but it was still beautiful to Shatterstar. There was something special about this place, about the fact that Rictor took the time to bring him out here, in the middle of the night when nothing and no one else seemed to exist. There was now a place unknown to the others, something they could call theirs amongst all this chaos.

Shatterstar brushed his fingers against Rictor’s. That feeling again. “Thank you.”

* * *

When Shatterstar woke up to the empty bed beside him, he knew exactly where to look. Shatterstar threw the sheet off himself and scrambled for some shoes and a jacket, which wasn’t hard to do discreetly under the shield of Jimmy’s thunderous snores. Fumbling around in the dark, he couldn’t find a jacket of his own, so he settled for one of Rictor’s. He draped the battered leather jacket over his shoulders--  _ smells like Julio-- _ and made his way out of the compound.

By the time he reached the ridge, he had pulled the jacket on completely, shivering in the chilly Arizona air. He stood behind Rictor in silence, not approaching him just yet.

“Hey, ‘Star,” Rictor said without turning around. He sighed. “Somehow I knew you’d find your way out here.”

“Then why didn’t you invite me in the first place?”

“I don’t know.” Ric finally turned to face Shatterstar. “I guess I just wanted to be alone.”

Shatterstar took a seat beside Rictor, crossing his legs instead of dangling them over the edge of the ridge like Rictor was. “I guess I thought this was our place.”

A smile grew onto Rictor’s face. “Huh. I guess it is.”

Shatterstar watched Rictor swing his feet back and forth, sometimes alternating, sometimes together. A breeze started up over the desert, and Shatterstar realized he hadn’t put his hair up before making the trek out to the ridge. Loose strands blew up against Rictor’s shoulder.

“I am kinda glad you ended up coming out here,” Rictor murmured, absentmindedly playing with the locks of Shatterstar’s hair that had drifted over to him. “I’d rather get lost in my thoughts with you.”

Shatterstar put a hand on Rictor’s arm. He felt Rictor tense, and then relax into the touch. “What were you thinking about?”

“Home,” Rictor sighed. “And I know it’s probably for the best that I left, but a lot of the time I do miss the good things.”

“I understand,” Shatterstar replied. He started pressing calming circles into Rictor’s skin. “Sometimes we can’t help but romanticize the past, even if it was terrible.”

Rictor shook his head. “Hah. You got that right.”

Rictor leaned over, resting his head on Shatterstar’s shoulder. ‘Star felt his heart jolt at the gesture, and that feeling from the first night they were out here surfaced again. Instead of pushing it down, he let himself be immersed in it. It felt wonderful;  _ Julio  _ made him feel wonderful. ‘Star put his arm around Rictor, his hand finding a place at his waist. Settling in to this new kind of closeness.

Rictor chuckled, sitting up. “Hey, is that my jacket?” Shatterstar felt his cheeks get hot.

“I couldn’t find mine, I-”

“It’s fine, dude,” Rictor said. “Looks- looks good on you.” He returned to leaning into Shatterstar’s shoulder, and ‘Star rested his head on top of Rictor’s. He breathed in the same familiar scent that lingered on the jacket. They could stay out here forever for all Shatterstar cared, and let the world melt away.

* * *

It would be several weeks before they would find their way out to the ridge again. X-Force had gotten themselves tangled up in another long, drawn out mission, so long that Shatterstar had begun to ache for the familiar blue of the open Arizona sky and the dry desert breeze on his skin.

He supposed this was what having a home must be like.

The night they got back, when everyone else was starting to turn towards bed, Rictor and Shatterstar’s eyes had met from across the room, and this unspoken thing between them surfaced yet again. Shatterstar quietly exited the sleeping quarters. He didn’t wait for Rictor; he knew he’d be along in time.

This time, Shatterstar was the one waiting at the ridge. He felt Rictor’s footsteps approaching him; ‘Star didn’t know if it was some side effect of his powers or something else. He didn’t question it, just knew that this was how things should be.

“Hey, ‘Star,” Rictor murmured, taking his place beside him. Ric fingered Shatterstar’s jacket sleeve. “Never gave this back, huh?”

Shatterstar chuckled, feeling the heat in his cheeks. “Sorry, Julio.” At this, Rictor smiled, ducking his head away from ‘Star as if to hide it.

“What?” Shatterstar asked.

Rictor shook his head. “You’re the only one who calls me that. Julio.”

“Well, it is your name. And you do tend to have angry outbursts whenever someone else does it.” Shatterstar was smiling now, too.

“Yeah, but you’re different.” Rictor’s hand slid into Shatterstar’s, their fingers locking. Shatterstar’s smile faded. He was acutely aware of how fast his heart was beating, now, and how it seemed to intensify whenever Julio would look at him or trace shapes into his hand with his thumb. Were they sitting closer now? Shatterstar could feel Julio’s breath on his face, could almost feel their hearts beating in sync. Without thinking, because he didn’t need to, Shatterstar pressed his lips to Julio’s.

He felt Julio jolt, then relax into him. Shatterstar tilted his head, then drew back. He opened his eyes; Rictor’s were still closed. “I- I’m sorry,” Shatterstar mumbled. “I just-”

“Shh. Don’t apologize,” Rictor said softly, opening his eyes. “‘Star…” He trailed off, then pulled Shatterstar back in with a newfound intensity. ‘Star happily obliged, heart pounding. He brought a hand up to Julio’s face, felt Julio sigh into the kiss. Shatterstar turned, trying to find a more comfortable position to sit, and Julio pulled at his lapel, sending them both tumbling into the sandy ground.

Shatterstar laughed, resting his head on Julio’s chest. He felt Julio press a kiss into his hair, running his hands through the long rust-colored locks. ‘Star lifted his head and pressed his lips to Julio’s again. Julio opened his mouth, and their tongues met, trying to get a feel for the other. Shatterstar adjusted himself, tugging on Julio’s lower lip. Julio sighed again from underneath him, and ‘Star’s heart spiked.

They pulled away from the kiss, breathing heavily. Julio leaned up, pressing a few quick kisses to ‘Star’s jaw. Shatterstar smiled and his head came to rest on Julio’s chest again. For a moment, they just lay there, each listening to the other’s heart, breath. Just being there.

Shatterstar rolled off of Julio, laying on the ground next to him. He slid his hand down Julio’s arm and locked their fingers together again, pressing a tentative kiss into Julio’s shoulder.

“Hey, ‘Star,” he heard Julio say, softly. Shatterstar squeezed his hand. “You wanna just stay out here tonight?”

Shatterstar chuckled. “Yeah. Sounds good, Julio.” He adjusted himself so one arm was around Julio’s waist, Julio’s head tucked into his neck. For a sleepy second Shatterstar wondered what would be in store for them when Cable rose to find them not in their beds, but he quickly dismissed the thought.

They would deal with that when the morning came.

**Author's Note:**

> [@samberto](https://samberto.tumblr.com) on tumblr :)


End file.
